LoMo swinging hot bat down the stretch

ANAHEIM -- While runs have been scarce of late with the Mariners scoring just 14 times over their last eight games, one player swinging a hot bat is Logan Morrison.

The 27-year-old first baseman has hit .368 (7-for-19) in those eight games, continuing a second-half surge that has lifted his average from .201 on July 27 to .247. He's batted .305 with 10 doubles, three home runs and 13 RBIs in that 40-game span, giving Seattle some needed improvement at a critical offensive position.

And Morrison, who was acquired last winter from the Marlins for reliever Carter Capps, remains optimistic that the rest of his teammates will start hitting better in the final 13 games as well.

"Robbie [Cano] is swinging the bat better, getting [Dustin Ackley] back in there will help us out," he said. "Kendrys [Morales] has been doing it for too long, so he'll come out of it. It's just like anything. Your team goes through it and hopefully we'll come out of it now.

"We're not thinking about 13 games left," Morrison said. "We're thinking about the game ahead of us, the pitch ahead of us. Taking it one pitch at a time, one at-bat at a time, grinding 'em out. We'll be fine. I just think if we do a better job of swinging at balls we can drive, we'll be a better offense. We'll get there."